Joseph l



' in STATES Armar OFFICE.

JOSEPH L. VELLS, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE VESTON d' TELLS MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF OAMDEN, N. J.

BUSTLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 325,031, dated August 25, 1885.

Application tiled Api-i114, 1835. (No model.)

To (LZZ whom t 77mg/ concern,.-

e it known that I, Josnrrr L. WigLLs, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city and county of Philadelphia, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bustles, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had tothe aecompanying drawings, of which- Figure l is a side elevation of a tube of braided wire of which my invention is constructed. Fig. 2 is a perspective View look: ing upon the upper side of the completed bustle. Fig. 3 is an outline as of a section thereof through the middle, further showing the shape of the article. Figs. 4 and 5 are, respectively, longitudinal, sectional, and perspective views of one end of the bustle, illustrating the manner of protecting and securing the free ends of the wires.

This invention relates to that kind or class of bustles for ladies wear which are corr structed of spring-wire braided in hollow or approximately tubular forni.

The object of the invention is, mainly, to improve the construction of the bustle in such manner that the greatest strength and elastic resist-ance are directed or secured at and toward the middle of the crescentic or double tapering skeleton tube, which is the general form of a woven-wire bustle.

Asecond object of the invention is to provide an improved means for securing the free ends of the braided wires, all as hereinafter to be described.

The wires w, preferably of steel, are braided to form a skeleton tube of uniform diameter, such as that shown in the side elevation, Fig. 1. The extremities of the wires at the respective ends of the tube are brought or bunched together and secured by means of a metal clip, the wires being soldered to ,said clips. This forms a hollow double cone or roll. This roll, or two or more ofthe same arranged onenearly above the other, is or are secured to astrap or strapsmsuch as that marked S in Fig. 2 ot' the annexed drawings-whereby the article is suitably fastened around the waist.

It will be understood that when the bustle is in use the greatest pressure comes against,

and the greatest resistance is required at, the middle or more projecting part ot the article. Consequently it will be obvious that it is desirable to secure increased strength at and about that portion of the bustle, and this without increasing its weight. I accomplish this result by drawing together the wires of the aforesaid tubular fabric, Fig. l, toward the middle on the inner side, which bears against the persons back, and setting or fixing them permanently in that position, so that the wires are, so to say, massed as much as possible closely together at and toward the middle, as shown in Fig. 2. The result of such distribution of the wires is, that a very much greater resistance is secured at and about the middle of the bustle, with only the usual quantity and weight of wire. I fix the wires in this relation in two ways-one by drawing the tempered wires together toward the middle from 7o or near the ends, as indicated by the bracket and arrows in Fig. l, by means of a wire or cord, and then fastening the ends of the latter, and the other, which is preferred, by drawing or setting the untempered wires to- 7 5 gether in like manner and afterward tempering the same, when they retain the positions to which they are thus originally set.

Although not essential, I prefer t0 make the bustle of the general shape in cross-section in the middle as seen in Fig. S-that is, ovoid and somewhat liattened and curved on the under side-whereby the bustle is adapted to snugly rest upon the back of the wearer, and a gracefully-curving support is alforded to the overhangin g skirt.

The articleV is attached to the buckle-strap S in the usual manner, whereby it is secured around the waist of the person, the great iiexibility of the braided fabric permitting it to accommodate itself to the contour ofthe wearer. The extremities of the wires are secured together by inserting them in a clip or hollow plate ot' metal, O, and bending over the latter with the wires w, as shown in Figs. et and 5.

I sometimes insert the wires in an opening in a hollow sheet-metal button and bend over the wires within the button, the wires being bent within said button, either by pressing their ends against the inside face of the button IOO or by forcing the two disks or sides ofthe button together. I have shown such a hollowbutton device in an application for Letters Patent for a braided-wire bosom-pad filed by me on the 12th day of March, 1885, Serial No. 158,527.

It Will be seen that by nleans of this fastening device the use of solder is dispensed with7 while the ends of the wires are securely held and protected. u

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and Wish to secure by Let-ters Patent- 1. A bustle consisting of a braided-wire tube having` its ends contracted and confined and attached to a suitable strap, the internie- 15' diatc portion adjacent to the strap being bunched and secured to the same, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

2. In combination With the wire braided bustle, the hollow metallic end clips having 2o said Wires inserted and bent over therein, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony WhereofI have hereunto affixed mysignature this 11th day of April, A.D.l885.

JOSEPH L. VELLS. Vitnesses:

Jol-1N N oLAN, JOHN BRUNER JONES. 

